Job 22

22:1 Then
Eliphaz the Temanite answered and
said, 22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be
profitable unto himself? 22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty,
that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy
ways perfect? 22:4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he
enter with thee into judgment? 22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? and
thine iniquities infinite? 22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy
brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast
withholden bread from the hungry.22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable
man dwelt in it.22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless
have been broken.22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth
thee; 22:11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of
waters cover thee.22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the
stars, how high they are! 22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know?
can he judge through the dark cloud? 22:14 Thick clouds are a
covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of
heaven.22:15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown
with a flood: 22:17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can
the Almighty do for them? 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good
things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them
to scorn.22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them
the fire consumeth.22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good
shall come unto thee.22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his
words in thine heart.22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou
shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as
the stones of the brooks.22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have
plenty of silver.22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt
lift up thy face unto God.22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and
thou shalt pay thy vows.22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto
thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting
up; and he shall save the humble person.22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered
by the pureness of thine hands.

1-4Eliphaz considers that, because Job complained So much of
his Afflictions, he thought God was unjust in afflicting him;
but Job was far from thinking So. What Eliphaz says, is unjustly
applied to Job, but it is very true, that when God does us good
it is not because he is indebted to us. Man's Piety is No profit
to God, No gain. The gains of religion to men are infinitely
greater than the losses of it. God is a Sovereign, who gives No
account of his conduct; but he is perfectly Wise, just,Faithful, good, and merciful. He approves the likeness of his
own Holiness, and delights in the fruits of his Spirit; he
accepts the thankful services of the humble believer, while he
rejects the proud claim of the self-confident.

5-14Eliphaz brought heavy charges against Job, without reason
for his accusations, except that Job was visited as he supposedGod always visited every wicked Man. He charges him with
oppression, and that he did harm with his wealth and power in
the time of his prosperity.

15-20Eliphaz would have JobMark the old way that wicked men
have trodden, and see what the End of their way was. It is good
for us to Mark it, that we may not walk therein. But if others
are consumed, and we are not, instead of blaming them, and
lifting up ourselves, as Eliphaz does here, we ought to be
thankful to God, and take it for a warning.

21-30 The answer of Eliphaz wrongly implied that Job had
hitherto not known God, and that prosperity in this Life would
follow his sincere Conversion. The counsel Eliphaz here gives is
good, though, as to Job, it was built upon a false supposition
that he was a Stranger and enemy to God. Let us beware of
slandering our brethren; and if it be our Lot to suffer in this
manner, let us remember how Job was treated; yea, how Jesus was
reviled, that we may be patient. Let us examine whether there
may not be some Colour for the slander, and walk watchfully, So
as to be clear of all appearances of evil.